The Chronisseur 21 of 420

This monthâ€™s samples are courtesy of the The Halloweed Gathering, an exclusive event that was held just before Halloween, where the cream of the crop was put to the test by San Diegoâ€™s finest. Out of 11 total strains, Purple Kush, Tokyo OG, and J-1 came in on top at first, second, and third place, respectively. Although our Chronisseur was a judge at the event, he was more than happy to revisit these three prime strains for this monthâ€™s edition.

Purple Kush: (Alpine Alternatives)
â€œThis beautiful little nugget is on the lime green side of the color scheme with a touch of purple. It is also covered in orange hairs. Breaking it open, I can see trichomes shining all the way to its center. The aroma is more on the floral side, almost like a GDP. I am really looking forward to sampling this one. Very nice; the flavor is also very floral with a Kush undertone. The hit immediately packed a punch followed by a soothing, relaxing high. I would recommend this for relaxation, tension, muscle and joint pain, and overall mental well-being. The grower did an excellent job in all categories: appearance, flavor, fragrance, and effect.â€

Tokyo OG: (Private Grower)
â€œThis bud is so full of trichomes, to the point that the bag it was in looked like a mirror. It is so shiny! A really great looking piece; grown very well. These trichomes actually appear to have a little bit of bud sapâ€¦Nice! Smells like a musky OG. Itâ€™s very earthy, very pleasing. The hit was also enjoyable because it was not too harsh and still provided quite an expansion. Great flavor, exactly what I would expect from any OG. This is definitely medicine for both body and mind. Kudos to the grower, I really enjoyed this sample.â€

J-1: (Connoisseurs Club)
â€œI have to start by saying that I am a huge fan of the J-1. This particular sample has thick orange hairs accented by quite a few trichomes and green leafy goodness. This was clearly grown with care. The aroma is very traditional Jack with a sweet smelling overtone and a piney fragrance. It also smells of lemon and earth.Â Excellent flavor with a nice head high to follow, and only a slight cough. This strain would be perfect for natural anxiety relief. It offers an uplifting cerebral high. Just a great sample all around. This grower is obviously very experienced.â€

Not surprisingly, this session with The Chronisseur came with a heavy dose of melancholy. Hopper was beyond bummed as he talked about how he was forced to close his pride and joy, The Green Door Collective. After years of serving San Diegans in legitimate need of medical cannabis, he had no choice but to close shop. Adding salt to an already open wound, in the weeks before closing, three of his long-time patients succumbed to their diseases and are no longer with us. Countless others are in extremely vulnerable states due to sickness and will no longer have safe access to the cannabis that improves their quality of life and allows them to go about their day-to-day routines with some semblance of normalcy without the harsh side effects that are inevitable when taking pharmaceuticals. Another huge bummer is the fact that The Green Doorâ€™s annual charity events for The San Diego Food Bank and Toys for Tots will not happen this year. That means thousands of pounds of food will not be delivered to the hungry and hundreds of toys will not be given to less fortunate children. Donations will not be made to the YWCA or to The Alpha Project. Because of the actions of the U.S. Attorneyâ€™s Office and the Department of Justice, people will go hungry, children will not have gifts to open on Christmas, abused women will receive less aid, and the homeless will have fewer opportunities. Thanks, Duffy. Youâ€™re a real class act.